Bracing device



April 18, 1939.

E. J. DRISCOLL ET AL BRACING DEVICE Filed March 5, 1938 Patented Apr. 18, 1939 PATENT OFFICE BRACING DEVICE Edward J. Driscoll and William L. Driscoll, West Springfield, Mass.

Application March 5, 1938, Serial No. 194,136

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in bracing devices and is directed more particularly to the provision of a novel bracing device for iceskates and the like.

The invention has for its principal object the provision of a device for use by a wearer of ice skates while he is not skating, as for instance, when he is walking to and from the skating area. The device is, however, adapted for other various uses as will hereinafter appear.

The device of the invention is so constructed that it may be easily, yet removably attached to ice skates and it has the advantage of being simple in its construction and therefore economical to manufacture. As a special feature, the device may be worn by the skater so that he may walk on other than ice surfaces without injury to either the skates or to the surfaces walked upon.

The device may also be used as a means for storing ice skates during the summer months when the skates are not in use. The device is constructed sothat when in use the blades will be protected by means of a bar member as will presently be shown. This will greatly facilitate the protecting of the skates so as to keep the blades in a sharpened condition when not in use.

Various other novel features and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter more fully referred to in connection with the following description of the invention in its preferred form, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the device of the invention showing a shoe-skate in association therewith;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view of the same device; and

Fig. 4. is a cross-sectional View of the device shown on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, the invention will be fully described.

The bracing device in general includes a support member 2 having bearing parts 4, 4', 6 and 6' associated therewith. The parts may be variously formed, but are preferably arranged as will now be described.

The support 2 is horizontally extending and it may consist of a channel-shaped metallic strip such as shown in Fig. 4. The other parts now to be described may or may not be integral therewith.

In any event, there is a vertically extending plate member ID extending'upwardly from the member 2 at its rear end. This plate has an opening such as l2 in its lower side.

Extending upwardly from the member 2 at its forward end is another plate I4, which plate, 5 however, has a slot l6 which opens at the upper side thereof as shown.

Preferably there are also upwardly extending side pieces such as i8 and 20. These pieces may or may not be connected to the oppositely-diso posed plates l0 and I4 as described. They are, however, adjacent opposite ends of member 2 and at opposite sides thereof as shown.

Secured to these upright members I8 are bearing members 4, 4, 6 and 6'. Preferably these latter parts are formed of rubber or some other similar hard, yet yieldable substance such as is commonly used in the manufacture of rubber heels for shoes. These are shown attached to parts I8 and 2G in the drawing and are also attached to similar side pieces on sides opposite l8 and 20. The rubber and metal in these members are in association with each other by means of screws or rivets 22 but they may of course be otherwise secured. 25

The support 2 and the side and end pieces in association therewith are, as stated, made of metal preferably zinc because of its firmness.

The key-hole shaped opening I 2 in the plate 10 is provided to permit the insertion therethrough of a rearward portion of a blade B of an ice skate S which may or may not be attached to a shoe, as indicated.

As shown, the bar member 2 and plates l0 and M are above the plane of the lower edges of the 3 bearing parts 4, 4, 6 and 6', thus permitting the bearing parts to bear on the ground in walking. This is done since it is not desirable that these metal parts contact such surfaces as wood floors, linoleum, rugs and the like with which the wearer would ordinarily come into contact as he walks in and around the house, a privilege which the invention permits without injury to either the skate blades or the surface being traversed.

The forward plate member M which, as described, separates the two parallel upright members 6 and 6 is so slotted that the forward part of the blade B may be received therein. The slots l2 and iii are such that the plates efficiently grip a blade of the tubular type as well as the common straight type of ice skate blade.

If desired, the forward plate I may be so formed as to include two parts l4 and I4 both bendable outwardly relative to member 2 so as to produce a larger opening l6 and thereby 55 facilitate the inserting of the forward portion of the skate blade. Of course, after the blade has been inserted in the opening, the members 14 are allowed to resume their normal upright position and the skate is held securely thereby.

As stated, the support 2 may be channelshaped. That is, it may have side flanges 8 which tend to give added strength to the device.

The upright members 4, 4', 6 and 6' are preferably of sufficient height so as to bear directly against the underside of the shoe of an ice skate. This is helpful so that when the wearer of the shoe uses the device in the process of walking, a secure and firm footing results.

It will be clear that the upright bearing parts securely rest upon the ground and that the shoe of the skate securely rests upon the upper sides of the bearing members. Thus the process of walking in the skates is greatly facilitated thereby and it is almost as easy and simple to walk. in such a pair of shoes as it is to walk in an ordinary pair of shoes with the added advantage that in sodoing it is not necessary to put on or remove the shoes at the house or the skating area and it becomes an easy matter to wear the shoes with these devices as much as a person would wear the ordinary type of shoes.

While We have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A bracing device for an ice skate or the like comprising in combination, a bar member of relatively rigid material having opposite end portions slotted and bent upwardly, bearing members associated with said bar member at opposite sides 'of the upwardly extending portions thereof and having parts projecting downwardly below the plane of the said bar member, andparts projecting upwardly above the upwardly extending portions.

2. The combination with a shoe skate of a bracing device therefor comprising, a bar member having opposite end portions turned upwardly, said end portions being slotted, plate members on opposite sides of said bar member adjacent the said upturned portions, upright bearing members associated with the said plate members having portions extending downwardly below the plane of the said bar member for engaging the ground and other portions extending upwardly above the plane of the top surfaces of the said plate members which are in engagement with the sole and heel of the said shoe.

3. A bracing device for a shoe and skate or the like comprising in combination, a bar member of relatively rigid material and upwardly extending end portions at opposite ends thereof for detachably engaging a skate, and bearing members associated with said bar member at opposite sides of the upwardly extending end portions and having parts projecting downwardly below the plane of said bar member and parts projecting upwardly beyond the upwardly extending end portions.

4. The combination with a shoe and skate of a bracing device therefore comprising, a bar member having opposite end portions turned upwardly, plate members on opposite sides of said bar member, upright bearing members associated with said plate members having portions extending downwardly below the plane of said bar member for resting on the ground and other portions extending upwardly above the uppermost plane of said plate members for engaging the sole and heel of .a shoe.

5. The combination with a shoe and skate of a bracing device therefor comprising, a bar member, end members extending upwardly at opposite ends of said bar member and connected thereto, said end members provided with a slot and an aperture respectively receiving opposite ends of the skate, upright plate members on opposite sides of said bar member at each end thereof, upright bearing members associated with said plate members having portions extending downwardly below the plane of said bar member for engaging the ground and other portions extending upwardly above the uppermost plane of said plate members for engaging the sole and heel of said shoe.

EDWARD J. DRISCOLL. WILLIAM L. DRISCOLL. 

